NHL: Hurricanes Beat Panthers 5-2

The Carolina Hurricanes posted a team record-matching home victory Friday, beating the Florida Panthers 5-2 in National Hockey League action.

Carolina's Erik Cole and Eric Staal each scored a pair of goals to lead the Hurricanes, who have 26 wins against six losses at home this season, equaling a mark set by the team 19 years ago, when the franchise was the Hartford Whalers. The Hurricanes have the best record in the NHL with 86 points, one more than the idle Detroit Red Wings.

Buffalo's Derek Roy scored three goals to lead the Sabres 6-2 over the Toronto Maple Leafs and post his first career hat trick. Roy scored in each period. Chris Drury, Daniel Briere and Thomas Vanek also scored for the host Sabres, who snapped a two-game skid, and handed Toronto its fourth straight loss.

The Vancouver Canucks rallied twice, and went on to win a tiebreaker to edge the Chicago Blackhawks 5-4. Markus Naslund scored the only goal in the post-overtime shootout to lift the Canucks on the road in Chicago. Vancouver trailed 3-0 in the first period, and later 4-2 before evening the score late in the third period on a goal by Brendan Morrison.

In other NHL action, the Edmonton Oilers slipped past the San Jose Sharks 3-2, and the Mighty Ducks of Anaheim topped the Minnesota Wild 4-2.